Stories from moscow · Russia

A puppet theater production reported specific financial expenditures, including 2.09 million in revenue against 2.3 million in costs.

A recent legislative initiative in Russia proposes providing free school uniforms to children from large families. The proposal follows discussions regarding the redistribution of prices for essential versus luxury goods. This initiative aims to support families with multiple children through state-provided resources. The specific implementation timeline for the uniform program was not detailed in the report. Dmitry Gusev, a deputy from the Just Russia party, has proposed creating a 'white list' of verified Russian users. This list would consist of individuals whose phone numbers are linked to confirmed accounts on the Gosuslugi state services portal. The proposal aims to ensure these users do not face mobile internet disconnections. This comes amid a legislative push in the State Duma to guarantee digital rights, including internet access and anonymity.

Vyacheslav Volodin stated that no law should take effect without the approval of the State Duma. He described this requirement as an unshakeable rule. The comments follow the 120th anniversary of the first State Duma session held on April 27, 1906. The remarks were made during a discussion regarding parliamentary authority.

The Moscow Exchange aims to begin operations involving cryptocurrency starting in 2027.

Vladislav Grib has proposed extending the Russian school year by two weeks for students.

Russian Foreign Ministry special envoy Andrey Belousov stated that US-led dialogues on strategic stability appear unrealistic and unclear. He noted that no decisions have been made in Moscow to launch new negotiations with the United States regarding these issues. Belousov said that specific conditions must be met before Russia considers resuming dialogue on strategic stability. The comments were made during an interview regarding a conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Military experts are analyzing the routes of drone attacks targeting Russian cities to bypass air defense systems. Some experts suggest drones may have been launched from neighboring Kazakhstan due to the vast steppe territories. Major General Vladimir Popov is among those discussing the potential launch sites and defensive responses. The investigation remains ongoing to determine the exact origin of the flight paths. Retired Major General Vladimir Popov suggests Kazakhstan may be the origin of certain drone attacks. Experts note that drones traveling such distances likely carry only fuel and minimal explosives. There are calls for diplomatic pressure on Europe to halt drone production for the VSO. Experts urge increased vigilance regarding these aerial threats.

Fraudsters in Russia are using voice deepfakes to impersonate individuals in audio messages. Scammers post advertisements in messaging apps offering up to 5,000 rubles for voice acting work for commercials or films. These recordings are then used to generate fraudulent audio messages using the stolen voice samples. Once samples are obtained, criminals generate audio messages to impersonate the participants. The process has become easier and less costly for criminals to execute. Experts warn that deepfake audio used in video and voice calls is increasingly difficult to detect. Fraudsters may use monotonous or emotionless tones that are only noticeable during long communications. Listeners are advised to verify identities by calling back or using pre-established secret phrases. Discrepancies are harder to identify in short phrases compared to long messages.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) has introduced a project to guarantee digital rights, including internet access, anonymity, and freedom of expression. Dmitry Gusev, a deputy from the Just Russia party, has proposed creating a 'white list' of verified Russian internet users. Under this proposal, users with phone numbers linked to confirmed Gosuslugi accounts would be exempt from mobile internet shutdowns. This comes as the Russian State Duma considers a digital rights bill covering internet access, anonymity, and freedom of expression. The proposal follows public attention toward blogger Victoria Bonya's appeal to President Vladimir Putin. The legislation aims to formalize digital asset transactions while strengthening anti-money laundering (AML) controls and oversight.

Biologists warn that consuming multiple dietary supplements simultaneously without following packaging instructions can lead to liver failure. The consumption of unverified substances poses health risks due to unknown chemical compositions. There is a noted lack of evidence-based data for many herbal remedies used by consumers. The issue is compounded by users failing to observe recommended dosage limits and timing. This behavior increases the risk of toxicity from an accumulation of unstudied ingredients. Biological concerns have been raised regarding the consumption of dietary supplements and multivitamins. The discussion also noted the lack of proven efficacy for certain supplements in treating common colds.